1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement of an arrangement of an imaging device, such as a CCD (charge coupled device), which is mounted in a camera to operate as a focus condition sensing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is known a focus condition sensing device which can perform a multi-point distance measurement, in which distances from the camera to a plurality of points on an object to be photographed are detected. The focus condition sensing device is constructed in such a manner that plural photo-diodes linearly aligned on a CCD chip, are divided into three light receiving lines, for example. Each of the light receiving lines is used for measuring a distance from the camera to a center, right or left portion of the object, for example, and in the view-finder, marks indicating the three distance measurement points corresponding to the center, right and left portions are provided.
The distance measurement points in the view-finder are determined in accordance with a structure of the photo-diodes provided in the CCD. Thus, if the number of the distance measurement points are to be increased, for example, the CCD chip and the optical system should be newly designed, resulting in an undesirable design time and increased cost.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement of a plurality of imaging devices, which are generally used for a camera, and which can be freely designed to change a number of distance measurement points. In other words, in the present invention, the imaging devices need not be redesigned in order to accommodate the number of distance measurement points.
According to the present invention, there is provided an imaging device arrangement comprising a first imaging device unit, a first wiring circuit that transmits the first control signal to the first imaging device unit, a second imaging device unit, a second wiring circuit and a single IC chip board.
The first imaging device unit is controlled in accordance with a first control signal so that an electric charge signal corresponding to an amount of light received by the first imaging device unit is generated and output from the first imaging device unit. The first wiring circuit transmits the first control signal to the first imaging device unit. The second imaging device unit is controlled in accordance with a second control signal so that an electric charge signal corresponding to an amount of light received by the second imaging device unit is generated and output from the second imaging device unit. The second wiring circuit transmits the second control signal to the second imaging device unit. The single IC chip board is provided with the first and second imaging device units and the first and second wiring circuits. The first and second wiring circuits are connected to each other and to a common terminal on the IC chip board.
Preferably, the first and second imaging device units are mounted in parallel to each other on the IC chip board, and the first and second wiring circuits are provided on peripheries of the first and second imaging device units.
Optionally, the first and second wiring circuits may be provided for applying an electric power source voltage to the first and second imaging device units. The first and second wiring circuits may be provided for grounding the first and second imaging device units, respectively.
Preferably, the IC chip board may be provided with a signal output terminal., by which the electric charge signal is output from the focus condition sensing device, and a control permission signal input terminal, by which a control permission signal that permits a control of the first and second imaging device units is input to the focus condition sensing device, and the first and second wiring circuits may be connected to a terminal other than the signal output terminal and the control permission signal input terminal.
Further preferably, the signal output terminal and the control permission signal input terminal may be connected to the first and second imaging device unit, respectively. The first imaging device unit may comprise a first imaging device control circuit and a first timing generation and driver circuit, which are operated in accordance with the first control signal, and the second imaging device unit may comprise a second imaging device control circuit and a second timing generation and driver circuit, which are operated in accordance with the second control signal.
Further, according to the present invention, there is provided an imaging device arrangement comprising a single IC chip board provided with a common terminal, a first imaging device unit mounted on the IC chip board, a first wiring circuit, a second imaging device mounted on the IC chip board, and a second wiring circuit.
The first imaging device unit is controlled in accordance with a first control signal to generate a first video signal. The first wiring circuit supplies the first control signal to the first imaging device unit. The first wiring circuit is connected to the common terminal. The second imaging device unit is controlled in accordance with a second control signal to generate a second video signal. The second wiring circuit supplies the second control signal to the second imaging device unit. The second wiring is connected to the common terminal.